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Vitamin D in the Persian Gulf: Integrative Physiology and Socioeconomic Factors

  • Epidemiology and Pathophysiology (Mone Zaidi and Jeffrey I. Mechanick, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Countries of the Persian Gulf region—Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates—have become increasingly modernized, resulting in a transformation of lifestyle based on technology, sedentary activity, lack of sunlight, and unhealthy dietary patterns. These factors have led to a higher prevalence not only of vitamin D undernutrition, but also chronic obesity, insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. This review explores the integrative physiologic effects of vitamin D with socioeconomic factors and propose a hypothesis-driven model for their contributions to obesity and diabetes in the Persian Gulf. Further research into these interactions may ultimately lead to novel preventive strategies and therapies for metabolic disorders in this geographic region.

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Disclosure

Conflicts of interest: J. Fields: none; N. Trivedi: none; E. Horton: has been on the advisory board for Amylin; has been a consultant for Gilead; has been on the research steering committee for Medtronic; has been on the advisory board and speakers’ bureau for Merck; has been on the advisory board for Roche; has received grant support from Amylin and Eli Lilly; has received honoraria from Amylin, Gilead, Medtronic, Merck, and Roche; and has received travel/accommodations expenses covered or reimbursed from Amylin, Gilead, Medtronic, Merck, and Roche; J.I. Mechanick: has been a consultant, received honoraria, received payment for development of educational presentations including service on speakers’ bureaus, and received travel/accommodations expenses covered or reimbursed by Abbott Nutrition and Nestle Nutrition; and has received grant support from Select Medical Corporation.

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  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Disease, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1192 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10128, USA

    Jessica Fields, Nishant J. Trivedi & Jeffrey I. Mechanick

  2. Joslin Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Edward Horton

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  1. Jessica Fields
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  2. Nishant J. Trivedi
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  3. Edward Horton
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Correspondence to Jeffrey I. Mechanick.

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Fields, J., Trivedi, N.J., Horton, E. et al. Vitamin D in the Persian Gulf: Integrative Physiology and Socioeconomic Factors. Curr Osteoporos Rep 9, 243–250 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-011-0071-2

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